Are you in the need of a new sofa? Getting rid of your old sofa can be hard. There are various nuances that you may not be aware of. This guide can act as a roadmap of how to dispose of your old sofa, without harming the environment.
A sofa is like a family member and getting rid of it may be a mind-numbing experience. But after serving years, now it may look old and saggy. And the time has come when you need to replace it. If it is your first time, you may wonder whether to hire a professional furniture disposal company.
Leaving your old furniture on the doorway with a ‘take me’ sign may tempt most houseowners. The fact is – there are too many sofas that end up in landfills. With landfills becoming a source of climate change and global warming, it is essential for us to ensure landfill diversion.
The good news is – you can say hello to several ways to dispose of your old sofa.
Ways to get rid of your old sofa
Donate it to charity
Before deciding to donate your old sofa, it is important to consider the condition of it. Make sure you donate it only if it is a resalable or a reusable condition. Do not donate it if it is falling apart.
There are several charities that that practice reusing items. They would be more than happy to give items a second life. This reduces waste, while helping people in poverty. The British Heart Foundation can collect your old sofa for free, but they will first inspect its condition. If it does not meet their criteria, the charity will not accept it.
Make sure the sofa has the fire label attached to it. Without this, a charity will not be able to sell it. Even if your sofa is in good condition, chances are high that it will end up in landfill.
Ask the council to take your old sofa away
Check if your local council will take your old sofa away. This process is what we call ‘bulky waste collection’, especially in England or Wales. There are many councils across the country that offer bulk collection services that you can book online.
These collection services vary between councils. Some charge a small fee for the whole collection process. All you need to do is leave your old sofa outside the night before collection.
Take your sofa apart before getting rid of it
If your old couch is serving no purpose at all, and it looks like that you need to take it to the tip, make sure you dismantle it. By doing so, you will be able to get it out of your door and into your vehicle (in case you have one). Of course, it is a tiresome job. Make sure you are aware of the intricacy of the job beforehand.
Also be aware that it will generate a fair share of mess while dismantling. So, wear thick gloves and a pair of goggles if you have some.
Dismantling is a process that depends on the design of the sofa, including whether it is a sofa cum bed and whether it features legs.
However, you must start by stripping off all the fabric of the sofa. This is how you can see what is underneath. You should not get stuck in with a saw if you accidentally hit a spring. The fabric of the sofa will likely be fastened by staples. You can rip it off if you do not intend to preserve the fabric anymore.
We do not usually recommend burning the wooden frame of your sofa. Depending on how the wood was treated, burning could emit toxic fumes and gases.
Will a sofa company take away the old one?
You may have decided to buy a new sofa and replace your old one. First you need to check if the retailer has an old furniture collection scheme. Many retailers, these days, will collect old furniture when delivering you the new one. Some will charge you a fee, but it means your sofa would not end up in a landfill site.
Some retailers even choose to recycle your old sofa. So, it is a good idea to seek such a company.
Give away your old sofa online for free
Nowadays, there are numerous websites where people are able to pick up items from your home. For this you need to write a good description of your old sofa, upload plenty of pictures of it and wait for someone to contact you. Some websites may partner you up with someone nearby or it is possible that you choose who you will give away your old sofa. There are several websites options to choose from:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Freecycle
- Freegle
- Trash Nothing
- Upcycle
- Olio
Sell your sofa as a second-hand piece
If your old sofa is in a reasonably good condition, you could consider selling it. Taking the old sofa to a vehicle boot sale can work if you have a smaller sofa that fits well in your vehicle. If that is not an option for you, following are some of the most popular online sites for selling your old items.
- E-Bay
- Gumtree
- Wallapop
- Shpock
Do not leave your old sofa at the side of the road
Understandably, you want to dispose of your old sofa. Unfortunately, most people consider dumping their old sofa at the side of the road. They do that because they think someone will collect it. But they do not realize that fly-tipping is a crime.
While you may leave your old sofa outside after booking a curbside collection service, doing so without organizing a collection should not be a practice. It can charge you a fine.
The best and most effective means of getting rid of your old sofa is to hire a professional furniture disposal company. They will do the heavy lifting on your behalf, without causing major harm to the environment and the circular economy.
